We all need some light relief from the Covid-19 lockdown, so we invite you to choose your fantasy equestrian lockdown house… which would be your preferred quarantine scenario?
For the purposes of the game, it’s perfectly safe to ride — we know you won’t fall off or hurt yourself, and of course you get to take your own horse along in any of these scenarios. You might even be able to persuade your famous housemates to give you lessons…
House 1
Equestrian facility: a cross-country course, with fences at every level from 70cm up to five-star
Your evening entertainment: you and your housemates take it in turns to read to each other from instructional dressage books
Your famous housemates: Richard Davison (dressage), Simon Reynolds (showing), John Whitaker (showjumping), William Fox-Pitt (eventing), Matt Ramsden (Beaufort master and huntsman)
Your wild card: unlimited wine in a colour of your choice
House 2
Equestrian facility: an indoor school, complete with music on request so you can practise your freestyle or accustom your show horse to the atmosphere for gala evening performances
Your evening entertainment: watching DVDs of Badminton and Burghley from a complete archive set
Your famous housemates: Tiffany Foster (showjumping), Robert McCarthy (Percy huntsman), Mary King (eventing), Anna Ross (dressage), Rob Walker (showing)
Your wild card: you get to play with hound puppies
House 3
Equestrian facility: a smart all-weather outdoor arena, with mirrors for perfecting your position, and white dressage boards and flowers on request
Your evening entertainment: watching DVDs of Olympia showjumping, from a complete archive set
Your famous housemates: Jonelle Price (eventing), Charlotte Dujardin (dressage), Vicky Smith (showing), Nick Skelton (showjumping), Henry Bailey (Ludlow master and huntsman)
Your wild card: swimming pool, with hot tub
House 4
Equestrian facility: grass ring, with perfect going, big enough for a grand prix showjumping course — with the jumps, of course
Your evening entertainment: the complete Jilly Cooper back catalogue is available for you to read
Your famous housemates: Geoff Billington (showjumping), Charles Frampton (Heythrop master and huntsman), Piggy French (eventing), Jayne Ross (showing), Edward Gal (dressage)
Your wild card: a dressage grand prix schoolmaster, on whom you can try out your aids for piaffe and one-time changes
Two more houses below…
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House 5
Equestrian facility: you can go hunting three times a week (with two horses each day, naturally)
Your evening entertainment: watching DVDs of Horse of the Year Show showing, from a complete archive set
Your famous housemates: Sharn Linney (showing), Mark Todd (eventing), Carl Hester (dressage), Cian O’Connor (showjumping), Chris Woodward (Wynnstay huntsman)
Your wild card: fully equipped (human) gym
House 6
Equestrian facility: beautiful hacking over miles of unspoilt countryside, with great fields for galloping
Your evening entertainment: complete back catalogue of old Horse & Hound magazines to read
Your famous housemates: Blyth Tait (eventing), Laura Graves (dressage), Daniel Cherriman (Pytchley huntsman), Scott Brash (showjumping), Katy Carter (showing)
Your wild card: you can bring your own dog
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